Teacher Spotlight: Dr. Linda Barlow

With a passion for learning and knowledge, Dr. Linda Barlow, a 7th grade English, language arts and intensive reading teacher, joins the teaching staff at Madison County Central School.

Barlow, a native of Worth County, Ga., has taught for 28 years with an extensive array of student grades and school subjects under her belt.

Barlow went to Worth County High School, where she graduated after attending J.W Holley High from 8th to 10th grade.

She successfully completed Albany State University for undergrad and graduate where she received a B.A in Psychology and a M.Ed.Her thirst for knowledge continued strong and Barlow didn’t end her pursuit of education after Albany State, but continued on to attend the University of Sarasota to receive her Ed.S and Ed.D doctorate and took classes at Troy University in counseling.

A quick run down of all the grades and classes Barlow has taught proves itself to be somewhat aweing; she’s taught 7th grade Social Studies in Cuthburt, Ga., the place where Barlow first started teaching, before relocating to her hometown in Worth County to teach 8th grade English and Reading, 7th grade Social Studies and Reading and then back to 8th grade Reading and Literature.In 2001, Barlow transferred to Dougherty County where she taught 8th grade Georgia studies, 8th grade Earth Science and 8th grade basic math.

Teaching was a natural lead-in to her love of learning that started at a young age.

“I was inspired as a young girl in elementary school,” Barlow said. “My teachers were very encouraging and inspirational in teaching us how to learn; for that, I admired them.”

She said that to her younger-self, her teachers were the smartest people she knew, and their intelligence inspired her; she too wanted to know as much as her teachers did.

“One day, I worked as a 7th grade student substitute teacher and that’s when I really knew that teaching would be a career [for me].”

Since that moment, Barlow has both made goals to better herself and her students and says that the joy of teaching is, for her, being able to impart knowledge.

“I love it when students tell me, ‘I didn’t know this, but when you taught it the way you taught it, I [know it] now,” said Barlow.

Always learning, Barlow says that her students through the years have also taught her things. “I’ve learned that in order to help a child succeed, you have to begin where they are, and then take them forward to become successful,” said Barlow.

Barlow currently resides in Albany, Ga. along with one of her two sons, Reginald Barlow, who transferred from Waldorf, Md. where he worked for the Federal Government at a Navy Base in Washington, D.C. Barlow’s second son, Rashard Barlow resides in Cobb County, Ga., where he works for a mental health facility and is pursing a degree in Criminal Justice. Barlow also has two grandchildren: Payton and Daniel.

When she isn’t in the classroom, Barlow says she is a lover of reading; taking in everything from fiction novels to short stories. She also stays busy by being her church’s pianist and teaching private music lessons.